Navigation commands

Use these commands to perform actions such as moving around the screen, moving inside windows and webpages, and controlling cursor tracking. VO represents the VoiceOver modifier.

Note: When VoiceOver is on, you can enter VoiceOver commands by using the Fn and number keys with the VoiceOver modifier, as an alternative to using the function keys (F1 through F12). For example, to open VoiceOver Utility you can press Control-Option-Fn-8 (instead of Control-Option-F8).

If you use the function keys (F1 through F12), you may need to press and hold the Fn key, depending on how you set the behavior of function keys in Keyboard preferences.

Move the VoiceOver cursor up

VO-Up Arrow

Move the VoiceOver cursor down

VO-Down Arrow

Move the VoiceOver cursor to the left

VO-Left Arrow

Move the VoiceOver cursor to the right

VO-Right Arrow

Move to the top of the visible area (such as a window or text area) where the VoiceOver cursor is located

VO-Shift-Home

On some keyboards, press VO-Fn-Left Arrow.

Move to the bottom of the visible area (such as a window or text area) where the VoiceOver cursor is located

VO-Shift-End

On some keyboards, press VO-Fn-Right Arrow.

Move to the top of the area (such as a window or text area) where the VoiceOver cursor is located, scrolling if necessary

VO-Home

On some keyboards, press VO-Shift-Fn-Left Arrow.

Move to the bottom of the area (such as a window or text area) where the VoiceOver cursor is located, scrolling if necessary

VO-End

On some keyboards, press VO-Shift-Fn-Right Arrow.

Move to the top of a window, the first item in the Dock, or the first item on your desktop, depending on your location

VO-Command-Home

On some keyboards, press VO-Command-Fn-Left Arrow.

Move to the lower-right corner of a window, the last item in the Dock, or the last item on your desktop, depending on your location

VO-Command-End

On some keyboards, press VO-Command-Fn-Right Arrow.

Move the window containing the VoiceOver cursor to the front, making it the active window

VO-Shift-F2

Open the Item Chooser

VO-I

Open the Rotor

VO-U

Move to the Dock

VO-D

Move to the desktop

VO-Shift-D

Move to the menu bar

VO-M

Move to the status menus in the menu bar

VO-M-M

Open a shortcut menu

VO-Shift-M

Jump to a linked item (for example, from a message in the Mail messages list to the message preview).

VO-J

Temporarily disable or enable the cursor tracking options you selected in VoiceOver Utility. The command doesn’t change the settings in VoiceOver Utility.

VO-Shift-F3

Move the VoiceOver cursor to the keyboard focus

VO-Shift-F4

Move the keyboard focus to the VoiceOver cursor

VO-Command-F4

Move the VoiceOver cursor to the mouse pointer

VO-Shift-F5

Move the mouse pointer to the VoiceOver cursor

VO-Command-F5

Jump from the current location to any displayed input method or auto correction panel, and then jump back to the original location

VO-Shift-J

Find text

VO-F

While finding text, cycle through search item history

VO-Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Move the VoiceOver cursor in the given direction, wrapping when necessary

VO-Command-Shift-arrow keys

Set or remove a hot spot

VO-Shift-[hot spot number]

Jump to a hot spot

VO-[hot spot number]

Hear a description of a hot spot

VO-Command-[hot spot number]

Toggles watching a hot spot for changes

VO-Command-Shift-[hot spot number]

Open the Hot Spot Chooser

VO-Shift-X

Move to the next hot spot

VO-]

Move to the previous hot spot

VO-[

Jump back to a parent folder

VO-Command-\

Jump to the sort button in a column header in a table

VO-|

If the table also contains a row header, VoiceOver displays a menu where you choose a column or row header. Press VO-Right Arrow until you hear the header you want, then press the Space bar.